Disclosure of cattle exporter’s accounts

The country’s leading exporter of pedigree cattle, who alleges he was defamed in an article in the Irish Farmers Journal three years ago, has been ordered by a judge to disclose audited accounts for three years.

Ciaran Lawlor, counsel for cattle exporter Hubert Maxwell, told the Circuit Civil Court yesterday his client was abandoning any claim of financial loss and should therefore not have to disclose financial documents.

Mr Maxwell, aged 77, of Ballinagare, Castlerea, Co Roscommon, is a well-known exporter of pedigree Holstein and Friesian cattle internationally and is suing The Agricultural Trust which trades as the Irish Farmers Journal.